It is very convenient, for many reasons, if you can call a $1.5m transfer “a sale”. If you can support said price with an auction so the price is supported by a

It is very convenient, for many reasons, if you can call a $1.5m transfer “a sale”. If you can support said price with an auction so the price is supported by a fair market, even better. Legally transferring that much money to another person (and minimizing taxes) is difficult. Art and collectible sales are a convenient escape hatch.